'Holly' Birkett 6-Hour Relay Results Archive

[John Clarke]

Just had a look at my trophy - 1999! Original post edited (as I'm allowed to do this!!)

Thanks Barry

For the record, in 1999, the winning +4+ team completed just 144 laps but with the well negotiated handicap by Doug, were credited with 171 laps. The team of Caterhams in 2nd place contested the decision so we had to wait an eternity before the win was confirmed. In those days, the prize giving was in a packed bar. By the time the arguments were over, we received our trophies in front of the bar staff!!! (the +8 team finished 7th by the way).

[Leigh Sebba]

‘I didn't realise Leigh supported Wycombe too ! - a bit of a trek for him, Ipswich would surely be closer for him.’

He means I understand the lure of seeing a local soccer team and the feeling that maybe this time they will be entertaining and perhaps even win. Yes I go to Ips although Colchester is even closer.

[Andy Downes]

Andy,
News from down under and perhaps something to add to your archive. I have on my very small trophy shelf a class win goblet from the six hour. I remember going to the Silverstone Club House on the outside of Woodcote with Richard Casswell on a very dark Saturday night prior to going to the Sarasin's Head in Toecster (?). I believe the team was Mary, Leigh, Jim Deacon, Peter Deans, Richard Casswell and me as reserve and Terry Howes as team Manager. I think this was the occasion when Peter Deans came into the Pitts with a width nose and wing from a Mallock attached to the two tail pipes of his Plus 8. I also remember being overtaken by Jonathan Palmer in a Lola Aston Martin on the club straight. The year ? 198? 1 2 or 3.
Incidentally Jim Deacons Plus 8 (GAB ) has turned up here in Perth and I will view it shortly.Phil Brown

Hello Phil,

Great to hear from you, I remembert those dark, wet Saturday evenings in that Clubhouse - not sure if I was at that one though.

Interesting that Jim's Willhire 24-hour car has turned up near you - keep us posted once you've seen it.

Andy

[Phil Brown]

Hi Andy et al,
Whilst you were all Battling the elements of the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit I teased a few more brain cells into order on the subject of the 6 hour. My first visit was as a spectator in 1961. I think Mr Birkett was well alive then so it was not a memorial race just the 750mc 6 hour Relay. This however was the race that turned me onto Morgans. Ray Meredith was driving XOV with a big fuel tank and in such a fast manner and for so long that it attracted my and many peoples attention. Another interesting driver that day was Colin Chapman in a Lotus 7 with I.R.S. as an experimental car. These were the days when my friend and I used to hitch hike to Silverstone from our base in Chipping Norton. When leaving the circuit we would walk down to the A43 and thumb on the road leading in the appropriate direction. Imagine the thrill when XOV ( being driven on the road ) and the Tender car stopped to give us a lift. My friend going in XOV and me in the Cortina Estate I think being driven by Tommy who looked after XOV.
I was rewarded for letting my friend ride in XOV. Many years latter, I drove XOV back from Snetterton after another Birkett. This was the one after the Big Storm of 1987 . Snet had no electricity and the event some how got held with aid of a small generator. It was an all +4 team or at least 4 cylinder with I know for certain Rick B in XOV and Jim D in 5656 MM. Jim had an engine seize after some impressive laps. I had to get Jim's car back to my place in Castle Camps and Rick kindly trailored Jims Super Sport and I drove XOV. It was a great thrill. It was a difficult Journey toward the end with so many trees down and routes being blocked on the country roads. I believe you may be experiencing simular conditions now.
Now to the point. There is one Handicap victory that may escape most people and almost me. Could of been 1989 and was at Snet. This was a team of two Lotus Twin Cams 4/4s and two Gineta G4s. and perhaps another Gineta. The two 4/4s were John Milbank and Dave Watson. One G4 was driven by Bob Cook of Bull Dog Willhire Fame ( as well as a brilliant G4 driver ). I think Bob put the race entry together. The History of Dave Watsons car is a bit interesting as it was one of the fibre glass bodied cars . It looked very much like the one that Chas Wideridge had and took to Zandvort for one of the early Morgan races there. When these cars were out lawed for Mog Race Championship I had the job of converting it back to ash frame and making it legal. Bob Cook built the engine for this car . I think it came as a great surprise to us all when we had won on handicap overall. Not sure if there were any other Morgan teams there that year.

Cheers ..Your Antippedean(?) correspondent Phil Brown

[Andy Downes]

Hello Phil,

Great recollections, and you're right, that one had slipped by me. If I recall Dave Watson was a colleague/partner in John Milbank's business, they both ran 4/4s with Lotus Twin Cams (but I may have got that wrong) as did Richard Casswell with UBY 4, Bob Fawkes' 4/4 172 AOO was also a homebuilt Twin Cam 4/4.

Do you have any idea what the Registration was for the Watson car and where it is now ?

G'day Brownie.

Andy

[Leigh Sebba]

Andy - I have sent you contact info for Dave Watson

[Phil Brown]

Hi Andy,
I think Leigh has given you the best answer. I cant remember the car having a no plate. It was very Spartan but looked pretty in its red paintwork and black revolution wheels. In the year of Milbank Trucks sponsoring the Morgan Championship I think it was Dave who brought along to a BDC a massive 8 wheeler truck with huge crane mounted on board and the Milbank car was lifted high into the air and then on board the truck, or did I imagine that was going to happen.
Off the point, which is where I like to go, my previous post made mention of Jim D"s engine seazing(?) at Snet. I now remember that it was your car, a very new Ford Orion, that I borrowed to get round to the outside of Riches ? (turn 1) where the car was stranded. I tried to start the +4 and the starter motor engaged and turned vigorously. Alas it was the ring gear turning around freely on the static flywheel. It was at this point that the race was red flagged as an MGA had taken to the ploughed field opposite to where I and the +4 were. The MG failed in its attempt to slide side ways across the ruts and inverted itself.
I have just got back from seeing Alan Partridge film ( loved it ) and going to Lenard Cohen concert next week. We know how to live in Oz ( with some reservations)
Phil B

[Andy Downes]

I cant remember the car having a no plate. It was very Spartan but looked pretty in its red paintwork and black revolution wheels. In the year of Milbank Trucks sponsoring the Morgan Championship I think it was Dave who brought along to a BDC a massive 8 wheeler truck with huge crane mounted on board and the Milbank car was lifted high into the air and then on board the truck, or did I imagine that was going to happen.

Phil, you didn't imagine it I remember the Milbank truck with the crane on the back - it arrived with both the John and Dave's red cars on the back, which it then proceeded to hoist off (I have a picture somewhere) then at the end of the meeting they hoisted them back on and off they went ! Great PR I thought.

I was just wondering if you converted it to a road-registered car when you redid the body frame.

Off the point, which is where I like to go, my previous post made mention of Jim D"s engine seazing(?) at Snet. I now remember that it was your car, a very new Ford Orion, that I borrowed to get round to the outside of Riches ? (turn 1) where the car was stranded.

Ahhh, my first company car B449 GGM as I recall and yes that would have been the late 80s.

Sadly I couldn't get to Leonard Cohen's concert recently, very disappointed as I've wanted to see him for years and years - he's right up there with Dylan and Neil Young for me

Best Wishes

Andy

[Barry Sumner]

Hi Andy
Just found a trophy for the 2004 6hrs (30/10/04) 1st Class B - did not have that on my list, nor do I know what car I used? (shades of Chris Laurence)
best wishes
Barry

[RICHARD PLANT]

Hi Andy,
Just filling in a missing year for your Birkett records. In 1987 a team of Morgans were the outright winners of the Birkett six hour relay when the race was held at Snetterton on 17th October 1987 the drivers were Grahame Bryant in 1 MOG, David Raeside, Rob Wells and Tony Morgan-Tipp they also acheived the fastest lap with a 1:15.3 all cars were Plus 8's with 3.9 engines.
Richard

[Andy Downes]

Thanks Richard,
do you have a copy of the results by any chance ? - that may have been during my sabbatical (or maybe my team didn't do very well and I chose to forget it !).

Many Thanks

Andy

[RICHARD PLANT]

Andy,
Sorry I havnt got any result sheets for the meeting they went long a ago but had the info in my notes having been there to watch.
Regards
Richard

[Colin Musgrove]

Hopelessly late on this as usual but...Richard is correct, the '3.9 Steps' team of Plus 8's won outright in '87, drivers Bryant, Wells, Raeside and TM-T. I have the results somewhere and the Autosport ad we big-headedly funded! I was there in some general grotter capacity.

The following year, at Silverstone, the Morgan Plus8 team were again outright winners, drivers Bryant, Wells, Raeside and Pete Garland in my (then, now Richard's) 43 MOG. However there was a bit more to it than that. The Ultimas, who had won the race-car version of the event the previous week, turned up in some highly dubious 'road-equipped' versions...all except one in transporters! Their piece de resistance being the Spyder-Chevrolet! There was much muttering about protests but Morgan racers don't protest. The feeling was that if the Ultimas won, which they certainly should have, then it would be a Pyrrhic victory at best. Incredibly as the race progressed it became clear that we actually had a possibility of victory, especially as their quickest car, the Spyder-Chev, needed a great deal of re-fuelling. David Raeside was our slowest combo so only did a few laps but Bryant, Wells and especially Garland could hold the Ultimas for most of the stints and even get ahead when their slowest car, a Rover-engined device, was running. Nonetheless they gradually pulled a lap on us as time progressed. Those present will recall that I was 'sent to remonstrate' with the organisers as their lap charts were persistently showing us 4 laps down when we were only one down. While 'remonstrating' (successfully!) I took the opportunity of pointing out the bad smell generated by the presence of the Ultima team. Dave B and the 750 guys obviously realised they had got it wrong but could really do nothing. The race finished, the Ultimas 'won' and we started to pack up only to be surprised to hear a call for team Number1 (us) to assemble on the start line to receive our laurels and pots as winners! It transpired the crafty 750MC organisers had docked the Ultimas 5 laps for overtaking under a yellow. The fact that the incident involved the Spyder-Chev doing 160 'overtaking' an A7 Special doing 65 within a micro-second of the yellow being shown cut no mustard with Dave Bradley and his happy band! Happy days

There's an equally hilarious story of the Porsche team thinking they had won in '87 but I'll leave that for another day. TTFN.
Colin

[Andy Downes]

Hello Colin,

Never too late - I must get on with updating this before another one comes around !

Great recollections too, let me have the results if you have them as this might have been during my 'fallow' period.

Have Fun

Andy

[Mark Shears]

What a great story Colin. Worth waiting for!

Looking forward to hearing the one about the Porsches... sometime next year!

Cheers

Mark